A community hub for those of all ages to make and learn about a variety of art genres is being created in Pacific Beach.
The Pacific Beach Town Council learned more about the plans to create the PB Arts Center during the council’s March 18 meeting when four of the center’s board directors spoke about the initiative that began in June 2025.
In the six months since the Arts Center board was formed and working committees were created last October, the effort has raised $400,000 of the $1.25 million needed. Those involved have also activated the 16,000-square-foot outdoor PB Art Commons area, finalized plans to renovate the 7,000-square-foot interior and produced arts programming for local residents that will launch next month.
Their focus is now on securing enough funds to rehabilitate the building while also spreading the word within the community in order to realize their vision of a future that is essentially a remodeled past.
“Seventy-five years ago, the PB Library was built on the campus of what’s now PB Middle School,” said Chris Olson, a PB Arts Center board member and chair of its operations working committee. “It was for the good of the community; for education and for bringing the community together. We’re just doing the exact same thing with the focus on arts.”
Located at 4606 Ingraham Street, the building that most recently housed the Beach & Bay Family YMCA will remain basically intact, according to the presenters. No walls will be demolished to create new spaces. A large portion of the renovations will be to bring the building into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The centerpiece will be a large multi-purpose room with a portable stage that can be expanded into a classroom in the back. One room’s superior acoustics make it an ideal music classroom, while another’s natural lighting will serve as an art studio, the speakers said.
The existing kitchen will be expanded into the former break room to create a culinary teaching kitchen.
While not setting a target date, Olson said interior construction will start once fundraising reaches the $500,000 required to complete it, since design plans are in place.
Donations can be made at givebutter.com/PBArtsCenter.
“When we get to a certain level, we pull the trigger on construction,” Olson said. “That’s why the capital campaign and fundraising is important now. The good news is that we can already start doing programs and start building a relationship with the community; adapting our programs to what the needs are.”
Although the exterior space is already available for use, future plans call for expansion into most of the existing 65 parking spaces to create a stage and culinary teaching garden.
“Our 23,000-square-foot lot is a blank canvas,” board chair Jennifer Nowak said. “We do want to encourage the community to know that this space is for everyone. So if there is something that you’d like to start planning, we can start activating the lot.”
To meet the community’s needs, a survey is open at pbartscenter.org to gather residents’ input, said board Vice Chair Michelle Sexton. Thus far, visual arts, pottery and ceramics are the top desires identified.
“We have a survey where we are asking you, what do you want to see in this center?” she said. “Because we really want this to be by and for the community.”
Sexton said the center’s Facebook and Instagram pages will have the latest updates. She also encouraged those interested to join its email list at pbartscenter.org or attend the bi-monthly meetings at 6 p.m. on the first Tuesday in Christ Lutheran Church’s gathering room, 4761 Cass Street. The next meeting is on May 5.
The PB Arts Center already has programs in place, beginning with a weaving program for ages 6-12 on April 3. Other workshops are scheduled and there will be a weekly summer camp offered during June and July, with registration expected to be available by April.
Local groups can request times to hold their events on the center’s website.
“You will start to see it, especially when the summer camp events start coming out,” Nowak said. “More and more events will start to come out at the Arts Center.”
Located adjacent to Pacific Beach Middle School, the Arts Center will help supplement the school’s arts program that is strained by budget cuts. The partnership was a key factor in the Arts Center being selected over competing organizations to inhabit the building, Olson said.
“When we first started out, we went to the middle school and talked to the staff and asked what gaps in art exist that we can fill,” Olson said. “That helped us create what our programming is, to fill those things.”
The PB Arts Center has a 20-year licensing agreement with San Diego Unified School District for the building. The first year’s rent was waived and will be $500 per month thereafter.
“If there’s another year that we have to do for fundraising, they’re working with us until we can get this building activated,” Nowak said.
The nonprofit civic organization beautifulPB is the center’s fiscal sponsor, so it has 501C3 status.
The PB Woman’s Club was the founding donor, pledging $250,000 to the PB Arts Center. The venture was a natural fit, said board secretary Linda Schmidt, who is also a PB Woman’s Club board director.
“Our requirements align with the Arts Center’s by building a venue to integrate the arts while benefiting all ages, skill levels and socio-economic levels to provide classes, afterschool programs, summer camps and wellness through creative expression, and also to connect residents with a community meeting and events space,” Schmidt said.
With the goal of fostering arts among emerging local artists as well as school children while being an accessible center for the entire community, Nowak said the PB Arts Center has the potential to transform the neighborhood once completed.
“We do have a definite arts gap in Pacific Beach,” Nowak said. “This center will be the … hub of all the activities that we would have planned throughout all of the community. This will be the heart of Pacific Beach.”
PB Arts Center event
Streets Speak Art Jam
Theme: “Paint the Future of Safe Streets”
Where: PB Art Commons (outside space in the PB Arts Center back lot), 4606 Ingraham Street, Pacific Beach
What: Four-week series to bring together those of all ages to transform public space into meaningful works of art that advocate safer streets.
Project: Design, construct and install individual murals that reflect the principles of Vision Zero to eliminate traffic fatalities and create safer, more accessible streets for all.
When: 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 11, 18, 25 and May 2
Cost: $20 plus cost to purchase your own art supplies (payable at the first session)
Register at: tinyurl.com/PBArtsJam